Trouble Under The Sea: ABC Cancels 'The Little Mermaid' Live Musical For Now

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Uh-oh. It looks like the declining ratings for live TV musicals might finally be taking their toll on the trend. Not long after Dirty Dancing and The Rocky Horror Picture Show received a lukewarm response from viewers, ABC has suddenly announced that it will postpone a planned live production of The Little Mermaid.

The Little Mermaid was supposed to air live on ABC on October 3rd, 2017, but the show has been removed from the network's fall schedule, apparently due to financial issues, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The live production was set to mimic the Hollywood Bowl performance (starring singer Sara Bareilles as Ariel), as well as the old-style Wonderful World of Disney specials, by mixing the live performances with footage from the animated film.

'The Little Mermaid' (1989) [Credit: Disney]

The postponement of The Little Mermaid comes not long after NBC announced it would delay a live production of Bye Bye Birdie, set to star Jennifer Lopez. An ABC spokesperson had this to say about the delay:

"We are postponing the 'Little Mermaid Live' special. We love the idea of doing a live musical and want to make it wonderful. The project is so unique that we are making best efforts to do it next year and want to give it all the attention it deserves."

Even though we aren't getting The Little Mermaid on time (if at all), you can still get your live musical fix in 2018. NBC is tackling Jesus Christ Superstar for Easter, and Fox is taking on Rent sometime in 2018. Perhaps if they perform spectacularly, ABC will feel more confident in The Little Mermaid — but for now, it's officially underwater.

Are you disappointed 'The Little Mermaid Live' has been postponed? Let us know in the comments!